


Lost and Found

by Mushi9



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Lost and Found, Nalu - Freeform, holiday fic, short fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:47:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27989463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mushi9/pseuds/Mushi9
Summary: Lucy couldn't believe her luck when someone left a beautiful white scarf behind at her work. After going unclaimed for some time, Lucy was allowed to keep it. It seems like a great find, until she runs into the original owner at a holiday party. It may seem like a loss when she has to give it back, but in the end it turns into one of the biggest gains of her life. Short fluffy fic.
Relationships: Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia
Comments: 13
Kudos: 99





	1. Lost

**Rated T for social drinking and light swearing.** ****

**I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does! I do not give anyone permission to repost any parts of this story anywhere. Please be respectful.**

**I commissioned the awesome dags-sz to draw the photos in this story! You can find more of her work by checking out her instagram (dags_sz), twitter ( dags_sz), or tumblr (dags-sz)! Do not repost her artwork unless she gives you explicit permission to do so.**

**Thank you for stopping by! I hope you enjoy your stay!**

* * *

**Lost and Found**

**Chapter One**

* * *

Lucy didn't bother wiping the smile off her face as she entered the bookshop, a pep in her step as she turned towards the front counter. She caught Levy's attention with a wave, the shorter woman ready to greet her in her customer service voice before realizing it was her best friend.

"Hey! Today's the big day?"

Lucy practically squealed in delight, nodding as she quickly made her way behind the counter where only employees were allowed. In the cabinet under the middle register contained a box full of miscellaneous items left behind from customers.

The words 'Lost and Found' were written in marker on the side, Lucy pulling apart the flaps to see the contents. She pushed aside a pair of sunglasses and Spiderman backpack to get to the real prize, Lucy marveling all over again at the find.

Her fingers curled over the delicate white scarf as she pulled it out, admiring the needlework and care put into the accessory. Despite the texture appearing scaly, the scarf was made of the softest material Lucy had ever felt.

Growing up in luxury, Lucy was familiar with top quality items, but that scarf, it left her breathless.

Which felt ironic, seeing as she had been holding her breath for months after first laying eyes on it.

The store's policy for lost and found was any item in the box left unclaimed for three months could be taken by an employee. Whoever left the scarf behind was missing out, but they had ample time to retrieve it and for one reason or another, decided against it.

Mira had been the one to find the scarf in the café inside the shop. The video from the security cameras Freed had eventually let them see showed a tall man in possession of the scarf. Aside from him having dark blue hair, they couldn't identify him.

He hadn't appeared to be a regular, Mira saying he hadn't used a reward's card when purchasing his coffee, and since he paid in cash, there was no way to know his name.

The video showed the man sitting down and unwrapping the scarf from his neck. He had set it on the back of the chair beside him before idly scrolling through his phone before making a call. There, he abruptly stood and dashed out of the shop, leaving his scarf and half his drink behind.

That had been three months ago to the day, and no one had come back or called asking about the scarf.

It was like they didn't care it was missing, which Lucy found ridiculous given the beauty of the item.

He eyes crinkled as she rubbed her thumbs against one of the many black lines running across the white scarf, finding the pattern unique and stylish. Whoever had the scarf before had good taste. It was a shame for them to lose it, but their loss was Lucy's gain.

"This is great," she murmured, carefully laying the scarf on her knees as she closed the box back before standing. Lucy couldn't stop running her hand over the material, wishing she had clothes that soft. Without knowing what the scarf was made of, she had no idea what material was used.

And boy, had she searched.

Her internet history for a solid week was filled with inquiries to different types of scarfs, but nothing looked similar to what she held. It was truly one-of-a-kind.

If she had to guess, she would say it was handmade. The ends were a bit tattered, but a quick trim with her sewing scissors would make it the same length.

"Photoshoot tonight?" Levy asked, wearing a coy smile when Lucy looked up at her.

"We should wait until Saturday after I do my hair." Lucy bit back a giddy grin as she said, "Oh! And my new heels came in today and you were right! They'll match perfectly with this scarf."

Lucy was tempted to wrap it around her neck, but it wouldn't be long until she had to clock in. While stocking shelves with books wasn't a dirty job, handling the boxes they came in could prove disastrous to her new accessory.

Too many times she had to dust herself off afterwards. Without knowing what type of material it was made of, she didn't want to risk damaging it in the wash.

Plus, she was bound to overheat with the scarf on. The bookshop was kept at a comfortable temperature, and from the few times she had tried the scarf on, she knew it provided a good amount of warmth in a short period of time.

"Just in time for the party," Levy said, causing Lucy to nod.

It would be her first social outing with her new scarf, Lucy humming at the thought. 'It's finally mine! This is so awesome!'

It was hard to believe no one had come back for the scarf. She certainly wouldn't let it go that easily.

"I think—" Lucy started, voice faltering when she saw a customer approaching the register. "We should probably talk later?"

With a reluctant sigh, Levy nodded. "Okay, but you at least have to try them both on tonight," she called as she moved to start ringing up the customer's items, Lucy patting her back as she moved past her.

"Of course!"

Coming prepared, Lucy opened her large purse to gently tuck the scarf inside as she made her way to the breakroom. Her eyes lingered on the scarf for a few steps too long, almost running into a display of journals before correcting her footing.

With a light laugh, Lucy closed her purse, holding it close to her side as if to protect the scarf. Though, it seemed fruitless. No one was going to take it away.

When Mira first found the scarf, Lucy didn't think about keeping it. With how soft and beautiful it was, she was sure the owner would come back within hours. Then days passed, and Lucy got curious, paying more attention to the interesting scarf. After a week, Lucy had grown attached, but she knew it wasn't likely to stay in the lost and found box for long.

It wasn't until the scarf had been there for a month that Lucy called dibs, only after making sure Mira didn't want it since she was the one who found it.

 _"I think it would look so cute on you!"_ Mira had said, and Lucy had to agree.

After trying it on that first time, she couldn't deny it complimented her features. It would be just the right thing to wear to Juvia's holiday party that weekend, Lucy looking forward to showing off her newest accessory.

With her gorgeous scarf, great heels, and amazing friends, she was sure to have a blast!

* * *

"The lighting's better in here," Levy urged, beckoning Lucy to follow her towards their living room. She pushed the coffee table aside before pointing at the small accent chair. "Sit there."

"We may have taken enough," Lucy said, but when Levy shook her head, she sighed. There was nothing that could be said when Levy had that look of determination. Lucy had just wanted a simple picture for Instagram, but Levy was going all out.

"How's this?" Lucy asked, straightening her shoulders before looking away from Levy, as if deep in thought.

"Cute, but maybe something more casual?"

Lucy allowed Levy to guide her into another position, crossing then uncrossing her legs before adjusting her arms. "Look like you're about to tuck some hair behind your ear. Yeah, like that."

Lucy stifled a chuckle when Levy beamed, satisfied with Lucy's pose. "Alright, now hold."

Lucy's eyes flitted around a few times as Levy snapped pictures of her, trying to capture the perfect one. As much as she wanted to tuck her legs under her, she had to admit Levy did well with her placement. Her black and white heels were on display, matching the beautiful scarf wrapped loosely around her neck.

It felt good on her skin. She didn't think it was possible, but the scarf became softer after a wash. She didn't want to risk throwing it in a machine, Lucy handwashing the delicate scarf in the kitchen sink she shared with Levy. After looking up a few ways to wash a scarf, Lucy found one that seemed safe enough.

Using a mild detergent and rinsing it with cold water, Lucy hand washed the scarf before pressing the excess water out. She then laid it out to dry.

After it was nice and clean, Lucy had grabbed her scissors, only to change her mind at the last minute. She couldn't bring herself to cut a single thread of the scarf, even if the ends were a little uneven with a few slightly tattered. It gave the scarf character, and considering Lucy was an aspiring writer, she loved character.

"Okay, this one's the winner!" Levy exclaimed, hurrying to Lucy's side to show her a picture on her camera.

Lucy gasped, nodding before she could get the words out. "Yes! That's perfect!"

"I'll send it to you," Levy said, a triumphant smile on her face.

Like Lucy, Levy had a passion for books as well, but during college Levy had taken a few classes on photography. Levy had taken a liking to the art.

Gajeel, her gruff but encouraging boyfriend, got her a nice camera for her last birthday, and since then Levy hadn't gone a day without taking at least a few pictures.

It was a fun hobby for Levy, and Lucy's Instagram thanked her for the influx of new and creative photos that hit the site.

Lucy didn't have a large amount of followers, but she hoped when she achieved her dream of publishing her first novel, she could look back on all the pictures and see the journey that led her to her goal.

Today's pitstop on that journey was Juvia's party, a girl Gajeel had been friends with since high school. She was a bit odd at times, her mood swings changing from cheerful to gloomy then back again without notice. It left Lucy exhausted when they first met, but over the years Juvia had mellowed out.

Though, that wasn't to say the woman didn't get excited, gushing to everyone in their friend group about the new guy she was seeing.

Considering Juvia didn't get that way over guys, Lucy was curious. They didn't know anything about him aside from him being 'an icy tall glass of water'.

Lucy was looking forward to meeting the guy who had ensnared their friend, but not before she was done uploading two of her favorite pictures from today's session on Instagram.

While Levy checked on her dish in the oven, Lucy took a seat on their couch, lips pursed as she thought about her caption. She didn't want to be cliché, but after five minutes with no luck Lucy ended up posting the pictures with the caption: **Sometimes the greatest treasures find you.**

Maybe it was a little cheesy. She usually had a way with words, but she didn't know how else to describe how fortunate she felt to have such a gift from fate.

She added a star emoji to the end, a signature move she had adopted two years back. It felt odd to not have one in her posts now.

"So cute!" Levy yelled from the kitchen moments before Lucy's phone alerted her of a notification.

Levy was always the first to like and comment on Lucy's pictures, just like she was when Levy made a post.

_**That scarf suits you! Awesome find!** _

She smiled at the words her friend wrote, her heart warming as she yelled back, "Thank you!" before typing the same thing in a comment.

It wasn't long before more comments and likes poured in, most being compliments while a few were people asking where she got such a stunning scarf.

If she said she found it in a lost and found bin, they wouldn't believe her. The white and black scarf was beautiful. Even if it didn't match her new shoes, it would go with just about anything. Well, anything warm-related. She couldn't see herself wearing it when summer rolled around.

She grinned as she dipped her nose under the material, loving how light and soft it was, yet it kept her warm. Twice she had thought about ditching her sweater for something with shorter sleeves, but she dismissed the idea.

Juvia kept her house on the cold side, and she didn't want to be shivering all night at the party.

"These are almost ready," Levy said, causing Lucy to rise from the couch to join her in the kitchen.

"Smells great!" Lucy's mouth watered thinking about Levy's casserole dish. For a second she thought about getting a spoonful before they left the apartment, but one suspicious glance from Levy let her know she had been busted.

The two laughed, smiling as Lucy ran her hand over her new scarf.

Everything seemed to be falling into place, and she was sure tonight was going to be another moment she wanted captured.

Luckily for her, Levy was armed with her camera.

* * *

Aside from Juvia's boyfriend running late, the party was a success. Lucy had her fill of delicious food as she mingled with the people she knew. It was an hour into the party when Cana arrived, Lucy's stomach almost rolling after thinking about the last time they hung out.

Luckily for her, Cana didn't pressure her into drinking, not wanting a repeat of Lucy hunched over the toilet, her tolerance nowhere near as high as Cana's.

She didn't think anyone could handle as much liquor as the brunette could.

"Lucy!" Cana draped an arm around Lucy's shoulder, pulling her in for a hug. "I missed you! It's been forever!"

"It's been like three weeks," Lucy laughed, returning the hug before her nose scrunched at the smell of alcohol. Her eyes fell to the cup in Cana's hand, no doubt strong enough to take even the toughest down. It was filled to the rim, spilling a bit down the girl's fingers.

"Cana, it's good to see you," Erza said from Lucy's other side, their earlier conversation on hold at the brunette's arrival.

Cana rolled her eyes as she pulled away, head tilting when she looked down at Lucy's chest. She half-expected Cana to make a remark about her generous assets. It wouldn't be the first time, but she was surprised when Cana said, "Cute scarf."

She wiggled her fingers before reaching for it, but Lucy quickly turned her body to discourage her. "Sorry," she said, not all that apologetic, but she didn't want to offend one of her closest friends. "I don't want it getting wet."

"Hmm?" Cana lifted her hand, chuckling when she saw the liquor drops on her fingers. "Maybe I shouldn't have pregamed."

Before Lucy could ask why Cana felt the need to pregame for a holiday party, Cana started rubbing her fingers on her jeans to dry them. "We should totally go shopping soon. I hear HK is having a sale next week."

"Yes!" Erza nodded, a satisfied smile appearing on her face. "That sounds like an excellent idea!"

Lucy fought a cringe. The thought of going shopping days before Christmas sounded rough, the woman imagining the long lines and messy shelves. Not to mention she was a little short on extra funds, the presents for her friends taking the last of her 'extra' money that month.

"I'll have to wait until the first, I don't get paid again until—"

"HEY!"

Lucy and Cana both jolted at the voice, brown eyes wide as she searched for the person it belonged to. A guy she didn't recognize stopped right in front of her, Lucy having to lift a bit to meet his gaze.

Her jaw went slack at the intensity in his dark eyes, part of her wanting to debate if they were black or a dark shade of green, but her focus was stolen by the unruly head of pink hair he sported, her mouth parting at the bright color.

It wasn't every day she saw someone with pink hair, Lucy needing a moment to adjust, but she wasn't granted that as she saw the man's hand lift.

It had only happened four times at the party so far, but she had noticed some lingering stares from men. None had approached her as she had always been with others. She didn't mind some harmless flirting, but staring at her gave her the creeps.

But that was nothing compared to trying to cop a feel!

"I can't believe it," the guy with pink hair murmured as he brought his hand closer to her chest.

Her jaw dropped, heat spreading like a wildfire over her face as she pulled her hand back. Her body reacted before her mind could catch up, putting all her strength into her hand as she smacked him.

* * *

**Hey y'all! Here's a short holiday fic I thought would be cute. I haven't seen this idea done before, but if you know of something similar let me know so I can check it out!**

**This fic is three chapters long. It won't go too much into stuff like backstory, etc, since I'm not trying to develop these characters, but I hope there's enough details in there to set these versions of themselves apart from others that I've written.**

**I dunno about y'all, but I hate people touching me without permission, even simple things like tapping my shoulder or arm. Today I was walking by and a customer grabbed my arm to get my attention instead of just saying something like, "Hey." People really need to keep their hands to themselves, but I think we all know who the guy is, and I think we all know it wasn't her chest he was reaching for. :P**

**Let me know what you thought! Hopefully I'll see you soon with the second chapter! (It's gonna be in Natsu's POV) We have a lost and found at our work, but usually it's just sunglasses, lol.**

***Just something I found interesting, I'm writing and posting this story during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it's weird to me writing about them going to parties, bringing food they brought from home, and hugging, etc since we're all supposed to be socially distancing. We're about to have our annual holiday dinner at work, but instead of sitting down and eating and everyone bringing a dish, this year it's going to be a 'to-go' style dinner. Two employees will be doing all the cooking with safety in mind, then we'll fix 'to-go' plates for them and their families, then they'll take their gift and food home to enjoy in a safer place instead of us all crowded around each other. Hopefully next year things go back to somewhat normal, but I know it'll take time.**


	2. and

**Chapter Two**

There were a few things Natsu had been called over the years.

Reckless.

Crazy.

Pyromaniac.

Those were a few of the many adjectives associated with the boisterous man, but Gray's words had Natsu raising a brow, pausing his video game as he looked up from the couch.

"I am not a wet blanket," he said, nose scrunched at the thought.

Natsu was by all means down for a good party. Drinking, laughing, the occasional prank he could pull on someone, it was all good fun. However, what Gray was suggesting sounded the opposite of fun.

Especially when he started out the conversation with, "I need you to behave yourself tonight."

Yeah, he would have to skip on that 'party'.

"Yes you are," Gray insisted, running his hair through his black hair, a hint of blue visible in the light.

Natsu would have called him out on the dye job if it wasn't for his monthly visits to his hair stylist, the woman touching up his dark roots to make them a bright pink. Despite them having nothing in common, Natsu had been mistaken for his brother Zeref too often in high school that the second he could, he traded in his black hair for something fun.

Even after a few years had passed since graduating and his brother had accepted a job in another town, Natsu kept his look. It was work, but he found pink just suited him.

It was much better than that month he tried purple, Gray still taunting him with those pictures when he couldn't come up with a good insult.

Speaking of insults, should he throw one Gray's way? He understood why his best friend wanted him to 'behave', but that combined with hearing it was a dinner party had him disinterested in the whole event.

He would rather fill up on junk food and video games instead of making small talk with strangers while eating finger food. It didn't sound like a good way to spend his night.

"Whatever," Natsu said, deciding to take the high road.

Of course, that didn't last long. One muttered insult was all it took for Natsu's eye to twitch, the man grunting before pausing his game once more. "What? The party—" Could it really be called that? "—sounds lame as hell. Just invite Juvia over here if you want me to meet her so bad."

"This isn't just about you meeting her," Gray said, straighten his tie before—

Natsu resisted the urge to laugh, watching as Gray loosened the tie instead, the man clearly nervous. "She said she wants me to meet her friends, and I don't wanna go by myself."

That had Natsu rethinking his decision. It wasn't often Gray asked for help, and the way he spoke suggested he wanted Natsu there as moral support. However, those thoughts were quickly dashed when Gray added, "And if you're there I won't look like a complete idiot."

Natsu bared his teeth, ready to throw hands if he had to. It wouldn't be the first or last time their altercation got physical, usually ending in a draw after they tired each other out, but when Natsu saw the pleading look in Gray's eyes, he cursed.

"Fine," he drawled, turning back to the screen to save his game before chucking the controller on the other end of the couch. "I'll stay for one hour, then I'm outta there."

Gray rolled his eyes, but Natsu let it slide. "Thanks. We're leaving in five."

Natsu didn't bother rushing, steps staggered as the ache of the workday caught up with him. He had been putting in longer hours at the store for the holidays. The job as a retail worker was temporary, Natsu getting laid off from his last job after the construction company he worked for went under.

The gossip was someone was cooking the books and got caught, but by then it was too late to keep the company running. He wasn't completely sure of the reason, but he knew he had to find something fast, which had him working at a local retail store in the meantime.

It wasn't exciting, and it left him feeling restless at times, but he was able to pay his bills, so it wasn't all bad. Besides, it was about to come to an end.

One of his buddies from high school, Sting, was now a supervisor at a construction company outside of Magnolia. They were starting a big project towards the end of January. Property had been bought up for a new neighborhood, and the company Sting worked for was hired to start building the houses. It would take years to finish such a massive project, which meant a stable income.

He wasn't thrilled to leave Magnolia. If he hoped to continue living in Magnolia his commute to work would be hell, and driving wasn't something Natsu particularly enjoyed. It would be nice if he could find a job in town, but work was harder to come by, and he wanted something steady in a field he loved which meant he had to make compromises.

Working in construction meant he didn't need a gym membership to keep his body toned. Though, he had gotten a little soft around his stomach area. He blamed his love for food coupled with his lack of strenuous work.

Working in retail was demanding, but for all the wrong reasons.

Natsu sighed as he got dressed, ditching his sweatpants for jeans before tousling his hair. He preferred a 'just rolled out of bed' look, grinning at his reflection before his eyes caught a picture taped to the mirror above his dresser.

He didn't linger on the photo, a dull ache in his chest at the memory of him with his best friends at a fishing trip last summer. While the trip was great, seeing what he now missed had a negative effect on him. He should have pulled the picture long ago to stop the pain in his heart, but it wouldn't make much of a difference.

It was hard to find a photo of Natsu not in his signature scarf, the thing wrapped around his neck since he was a small boy.

A grow resonated in his chest as he left his room, knowing if he ever saw Bora again, he was going to kick his ass. He was never getting another roommate unless it was Gray, hating that he trusted the bastard who ended up packing all his shit one day and leaving without saying a word.

The fucked up part? Bora didn't just leave with all his shit, he took some of Natsu's stuff too. The TV could be replaced. So could the DVD collection. However, there was one item Natsu never thought anyone would steal, and that was his scarf.

Of all the days to forget it at home, that had to be the day. It was gone, stolen and irreplaceable.

Looking for Bora had been fruitless as well. The last he saw from Bora's extremely private Facebook page, he was now living in Bosco, and with limited funds and free time, Natsu wasn't in a position to take off on a quest to retrieve his missing scarf.

It had been a year since he last saw it, wishing he could have done something different.

Life was full of lessons, and finding out he couldn't be so trusting had been a huge blow.

He missed his scarf dearly, but at the end of the day, he still had his friends and family. Natsu would continue treasuring his scarf in his memories, even if it hurt knowing what he lost.

"Ready to go?" Gray asked when Natsu entered the living room, his blazer already discarded on the floor with his pants unzipped.

Natsu shook his head, wishing his friend didn't have the bizarre habit of stripping when he got nervous.

"You're not ready?" Gray asked, mistaking Natsu's exasperation.

"You're clothes," he said, gesturing at the ground, seeing that tie from earlier tossed next to Happy's scratching post.

If it weren't for that stupid habit, Natsu would have lived with Gray earlier. He didn't want to come home to a naked man, but after getting screwed over by Bora, he realized he could deal with that weirdness if it meant being around someone he could trust.

"What the hell?!" Gray scrambled to grab his clothes while Natsu snatched the keys, knowing if he let Gray drive he would get sick to his stomach. His motion sickness was manageable if he was the one behind the wheel.

Plus, it meant he could control when they left.

He was serious when he said he was only staying an hour. He had a hot date with his couch, and he wasn't going to let a dull dinner party ruin that. **ASDFGHJKL**

"I told you to take the streets," Gray groused as they entered the house, the lack of hollering and loud music a sign the party wasn't going to excite Natsu.

With a roll of his eyes, Natsu looked around, wondering what Juvia's parents did for a living to afford such a large house. He didn't know much about the girl, Gray keeping the more intimate details of his relationship between him and Juvia a secret. All he knew about her was she was nice, she lived with her parents, and she was studying to become a marine biologist. Other than that and seeing one picture of her, he didn't know what to expect.

"How was I supposed to know there'd be an accident?" Natsu challenged, satisfied with Gray grumbled in response. He would take that as a victory.

"Let's just find Juvia," he said, joining his friend by glancing at the open living room. It was big enough to fit their whole apartment, both bedrooms included.

Natsu's stomach twisted at the place, seeing everything in pristine condition with everything straightened. To say he was uncomfortable would be an understatement, finding the house lacked that warm cozy feeling he hoped to capture for his own place one day. He had a bit saved, planning on buying a house close to where he grew up, after he ventured out into the world a bit first.

He wasn't anywhere ready to settle down, but he knew he couldn't keep up his childish antics forever.

Although, he did hope there would be room to play games and have fun with a family of his own, a smile forming on his face when he thought of such things.

 _'Later,'_ he always told himself, knowing the time he was in now was precious. There was no reason to wish the future closer. Life was too limited to squander it, Natsu trying to enjoy the present, even if the present wasn't all that thrilling at the moment.

Deciding he wanted to change that, Natsu said, "I'm gonna try to find something to drink." He took two steps before he was roughly tugged back.

He pulled his arm from Gray's grasp, ready to ask him what his deal was before Gray said, "At least meet Juvia first."

Natsu couldn't help but snicker. "Guess it would be fun to meet a girl crazy enough to date you." He looked over the room again. "I bet—"

"She's nice, okay?" Gray started, not noticing Natsu's body tensing. "So don't go making a fool in front of her or her friends. I don't want to—"

Whatever Gray said next fell on deaf ears, Natsu's eyes slowly widening as he caught sight of something striking from across the room.

He hadn't noticed before, breath lost as he gazed at the women huddled towards a fireplace. Particularly, his eyes were fixed on the blonde, currently chatting with a brunette and a redhead, but they might as well have been invisible, Natsu seeing nothing but her.

It wasn't her killer smile, nice body, or alluring appearance that stole his breath away. No, his entire focus was on that material wrapped around her neck, Natsu's fingers twitching before he spoke, interrupting whatever Gray had said.

"Is... that?"

If Natsu had looked over he would have seen Gray's displeased expression, not a fan of being cut off. However, Natsu didn't dare remove his eyes from that woman, terrified she would disappear in the blink of an eye.

"What?" Gray asked, following Natsu's eyes to the other side of the room. "We can meet Juvia's friends after you meet her."

After a moment of silence, Gray raised a brow. "You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost?"

Natsu tried to talk, but his tightening throat made it difficult. He got out a sting of syllables, but none were proper words.

"What?" Gray's curiosity turned into a smirk as he looked back at the girls, elbowing Natsu in the ribs. "Cat got your tongue?"

With a lack of response, Gray continued to push. "I think Juvia said a few of her friends were single. Which one were you—"

"Is," Natsu forced out, nearly gasping as reality came crashing down around him. "Is she..."

Gray's brows furrowed as he looked at Natsu before glancing at the girls again. "I don't know which ones are single? If that's what you're asking me?" All humor left his voice as he frowned. "She showed me a pic but I can't remember which one's which, but I'm sure if you—"

Gray's voice cut out again, Natsu unsure if he stopped talking or his hearing vanished. However, the soft holiday music was still playing, letting him know he hadn't zoned out again.

"Is that girl wearing your scarf?" Gray asked, Natsu finally breaking his staring at the woman to look at Gray.

"So I'm not imagining it?"

Gray blinked in surprise before saying, "No, that looks like—Wait!"

Natsu was already moving through the living room, dodging a few guests as Gray's voice faltered behind him. He didn't think, too stunned and anxious to see if that was in fact his missing scarf. The word spilled from his mouth before he could catch himself, yelling, "Hey!"

He startled them, the blonde jumping as she turned to him. He stopped in front of her, looking down at the scarf delicately wrapped around her neck and over her shoulders.

Natsu's fingers twitched once more before he lifted his hand. "I can't believe it," he murmured before reaching for his scarf. It was real, the pattern so unique there was no mistaking it.

That was his scarf, and he was finally going to get it back.

Natsu was just about to grab one of the ends draped over her front before his head jerked to the side, the stinging sensation coming moments later.

He would have dropped his jaw if not for the new tension, needing a few seconds before he reached for his chin, manually moving his jaw to loosen it.

"Damn," he muttered, the pain on his cheek growing.

If he wasn't in shock he would have congratulated her on a powerful hit, but he couldn't be bothered as he looked back at her and reached for his scarf once more.

"I just—"

"Back the hell off," came another voice, Natsu stumbling back when the redhead stepped in front of the blonde.

Her dark glare had him shivering, something he wasn't familiar with given his naturally high body temperature. "Excuse me?" he asked, no trace of bite in his voice. He didn't understand. That girl had his scarf. He wanted it back. What was the problem?

The redhead practically seethed as she towered over him, Natsu feeling like a child as she started scolding him. "Excuse me?! What kind of idiotic person tries to grope someone! Pervert! What makes you think you have the right to—"

"Sorry!" a man shouted, but it wasn't Natsu.

Gray was quick to grab Natsu by the back of his shirt, pulling him away from that woman's hateful stare. Her eyes snapped to him, Gray flinching as his free hand went to his tie, already fiddling to loosen the thing. "My friend here is an idiot, but he's not a pervert. I promise!"

Natsu's jaw fell as he looked between Gray and the redhead before his eyes found the blonde, the woman now being comforted by the brunette as she protected her with a hug. It took a few seconds, more than he cared to admit before he put the pieces together and realized there had been a misunderstanding.

A huge, enormous misunderstanding.

"Oh god," he whispered, eyes blown wide as he trained his eyes on the blonde, who had her arms clutched over her chest. His face began to warm as he cringed, wondering how badly his actions looked.

Well, he had a good idea, considering he was just called a pervert!

"I promise I wasn't tryin' to grope anyone!" he rushed out, looking at Gray for backup, thankful when the man was nodding. They bickered often, but at the end of the day they had each other's backs...

Unless of course one of them did something worth correcting, then they were sure to set them straight so it didn't happen again.

He was sure Gray was going to have a field day when they got home, telling Natsu all the ways he could have gone about it differently. He wasn't looking forward to that talk.

Natsu looked at the girl with his scarf, keeping his hands by his sides even if every bone in his body told him to grab it before it disappeared again. "I just want my scarf back!"

"What?" the blonde asked, her hand gripping one of the ends before shaking her head. "Your scarf? Dream on, this is mine."

The woman looked at the brunette, who had loosened her hug before settling for a draped arm over her shoulders. "Can you believe this guy?"

The brunette shrugged, some of her drink spilling as she said, "Some people can't handle their liquor."

Natsu looked around, wondering briefly if he was on some type of prank TV show. Certainly that had to be the explanation for how bizarre his evening was going. Gray wasn't much for pulling pranks, but maybe he had caught the bug, deciding to do something insane after finding his scarf.

He did get hit in the face, something that happened frequently when he hung out with Gray for an extended period of time.

"I'm not drunk! I'm—"

Gray lifted a hand, trying to shut him up. "That is his scarf," he said, causing the blonde to jolt.

"No," she tried, but both Gray and Natsu shook their heads.

"No, it's definitely his," Gray said, already fishing out his phone when the redhead demanded proof.

Natsu, too stunned to think rationally, couldn't think of a way to prove he owned the scarf. However, Gray was on the case, pulling up Natsu's Facebook page before clicking on his profile picture to enlarge it.

"See," Gray said, showing them the photo.

The women looked over the picture, the blonde's body growing increasingly tense before she uttered, "Oh..."

Her eyes fell to the scarf in question, a look of confliction crossing her face, as if debating what she should do.

For a second Natsu thought she might keep it, dispute his ownership of the scarf. What could he really do? Snatch it from her? That seemed harsh, but so was keeping something that didn't belong to her.

His heart sank as she released her hold on the scarf, thinking she had made up her mind to keep it. However, seconds later, the woman sighed.

"Darn," she mumbled under her breath, but Natsu caught it.

The blonde shrugged the brunette off her before gripping the scarf once more, unwrapping it from her neck before folding it twice. She took a deep breath before holding it out towards Natsu. "Here."

He hesitated, afraid she would yank it back the second he reached for it.

His fingers brushed against the intricate stitches that made the scarf look like it was made of scales. Swallowing, he took hold of the scarf, pulling it protectively against his chest before letting out a content sigh.

It was real. His scarf was returned, warmth trickling into his chest as he allowed his body to relax.

There would be no more searching, no more worrying what that rat bastard had done to his scarf.

Furrowing his brows, Natsu looked to the blonde. She looked uncomfortable, fingers ghosting over her sweater where the scarf once hung. He fought a frown, heart tugging at the disappointment in her eyes.

While he doubted she had an emotional attachment to the scarf like he did, he could understand not wanting to part with it. The scarf was soft, beautiful, and went with just about anything. He considered himself decent with fashion, and if he had paid more attention he would have noticed how well the scarf complimented her outfit.

"Did Bora give this to you?" he asked, nose twitching as he suppressed a cringe. Just saying that man's name left a bad taste in his mouth, still sour over how things went down. His other stolen stuff could be replaced, but his scarf... It was one of a kind.

"Who?" the woman asked, her features changed, Natsu noticing there wasn't a hint of recognition.

"The jerk who stole this from me," Natsu said, deciding to fill her in. "He took it from me like a year ago. Did he give it to you?"

The woman shook her head. "I—"

"There you are! My beloved!"

Natsu flinched at the high-pitched cry, realizing it came from behind him. He barely turned before Gray was engulfed in a hug by his girlfriend, Natsu recognizing her from the picture he was shown.

Despite the uneasiness in his chest, Natsu couldn't help but chuckle when Gray fell to the floor, Juvia lovingly rubbing her face against his arm.

"Juvia is so glad you made it!"

Natsu raised a brow, deciding not to comment on her use of third person. Instead he stepped back as Gray and Juvia made their way back to their feet, the man dusting himself off before wrapping an arm over her shoulders.

"Did you have to tackle me?" he asked, feigning annoyance. Natsu could see the twitch of a smile on his lips. Gray was good about keeping his deeper feelings to himself, but some found a way to shine through the disgruntled act.

Juvia beamed up at him, causing a faint blush to coat Gray's cheeks as she looked at the others. "Juvia sees everyone's met already!"

"Not exactly," the redhead said, Natsu tensing when her eyes landed on him. Despite not knowing her, he felt a threatening vibe, telling him to watch out. "This man led us to believe he was a pervert, but it appears there was a misunderstanding."

"Huh?" Juvia started, blinking in confusion before an explanation from the redhead, who Natsu soon found out was named Erza, followed.

Ten minutes later Natsu and Gray were filling their plates with the dishes set out, his precious scarf secure around his neck. He welcomed the soft warmth it provided, but his stomach knotted up in a weird way from the scent lingering on the scarf.

It wasn't bad. Good, actually, a buzzing sensation coursing through his body when he first smelled the perfume that that girl, Lucy, must have been wearing.

He hadn't had a chance to talk to her after the introductions. The brunette, Cana, got challenged to a drinking contest by a man, which had Erza and Lucy chasing after her to another room.

Natsu didn't bother hiding his disappointment they didn't follow. Not only did he want to see something exciting, he wanted to talk to Lucy, ask where she got his scarf and how she didn't know Bora.

Had he sold it to her? Maybe he gave it to someone else who gave it to her? Did she find it? How did it fall in her hands, and what the hell was that heavenly scent now surrounding him.

While he had a sharp nose, he had difficulties picking out certain scents. He wanted to say it was fruity, but not in a powerful way. It was definitely pleasing to his nose, Natsu taking a discreet sniff when Gray wasn't looking.

Whatever it was, he liked it.

As he piled his plate with more food, he couldn't help but smile. What were the odds he got reunited with his scarf? At a party no less that he didn't even want to go to? He had been sure he would never see it again, but he was pleasantly wrong.

"Glad you got your scarf back," Gray said, the two walking over to a dining room table long enough to fill a conference room.

He would have gawked if not for the growling of his stomach, pulling his attention to his food.

Dinner parties were always lame in his book, but hey, at least he could eat.

"You're telling me," Natsu chuckled, though it lacked humor. Part of him still worried, wondering how differently things would have gone had he not shown up with Gray.

Or worse, if that Lucy girl hadn't come, or if she decided not to wear his scarf.

He swallowed a lump in his throat, a shaky hand picking up his fork before working towards easing his mind.

He could play the 'what if' game all night long, but what would be the point? Natsu didn't want to dwell on the negative, shoulders loosening as he allowed himself a grin.

"I'm never taking this thing off again."

Gray snorted, shaking his head as he dug into his food. Natsu followed suit, his taste buds set singing at the delicious flavors. The food was great, but he kind of wished things had gone a little differently. He still had questions for Lucy, but he supposed it was better to leave her alone.

He wasn't there to pester Juvia's friends with questions. Natsu was there to support his friend and provide him with some familiarity as Gray got closer to his new girlfriend.

It wasn't Natsu's place to deviate from the plan, but he couldn't help when his thoughts kept circling back to a certain blonde, his face matching his cheeks as he told himself he was only curious about the whereabouts of his scarf for the past

Despite saying he would only stay an hour, Natsu found himself leaning into the party, even if the craziest thing to happen so far was him getting smacked.

He had tried gravitating towards Lucy a few times when he caught sight of her, but he had chickened out each time.

Without his scarf on her, he had taken in more of her features, realizing she was a very attractive person.

That wasn't something that normally stopped Natsu from talking to others, but there was something about her soft eyes and lighthearted laugh that had him moving past her each time he built the courage to go talk to her.

It didn't help that she was a social butterfly, always with a group of people and always keeping the conversation going. He had heard her briefly speak of politics, literature, and even a movie he was fond of, but he couldn't bring himself to talk to her.

That was, until two hours into the party when Gray had mysteriously disappeared and left Natsu sitting on the couch by himself, watching whatever holiday movie Juvia had put on her Netflix.

He was just about to let out a sigh when he felt the cushion beside him shift, Natsu sucking in a breath so quickly he ended up coughing on the sudden air.

"Are you okay?" came such a soft voice, full of concern and mild amusement.

Even if he wasn't struggling for air he would have blushed, eyes flitting around after they barely connected with Lucy's.

"Er, I'm fine," he lied, already feeling his heartbeat double. Natsu wasn't exactly a ladies' man like his friend Loke, but he wasn't a shy guy like his friend Max either. Lucy was very pretty, and apparently intelligent about quite a few subjects he wasn't that familiar with, if the small snippets of her conversations were anything to go by.

However, all of that aside, he couldn't help but feel so relieved she had given him his scarf back, the woman kind enough to return it without further disputing his claim on the article of clothing.

He had been without it for a year, and he heard possession was nine tenths of the law. She could have tried to fight him on it, but she had shown compassion, and he was grateful for it.

"I hope you don't mind," Lucy started, leaning back to get comfortable on the couch before throwing Natsu a small smile. "I was hoping we could talk?"

Natsu's eyes widened as he looked at her again, wondering what she could possibly want to talk about with him. He was the one with questions, but something in her eyes told him she wanted some answers too, Natsu slowly nodding as he turned a bit in place.

"What's up?"

Lucy fidgeted with her hands in her lap as her eyes moved a bit, her lips twisting before she asked, "You um, said someone stole your scarf?"

That had Natsu furrowing his brows, grumbling under his breath. "Yeah, a guy named Bora."

"I'm guessing not a friend?" she said, causing him to nod.

"He's my ex-roommate. Stole my scarf and some other stuff."

"That's too bad," Lucy said, offering an apologetic frown. He felt her genuine empathy, nodding as he played with one of the ends of his scarf.

Lucy's scent surrounded him, but he wasn't sure if it was from the scarf or her close proximity.

"Yeah. Last I heard he left the country, so..." He cocked his head, gripping his scarf. "How'd you get it?"

"Oh, some guy left it at my work."

"Did he have blue hair?"

Lucy nodded, adding, "It was dark blue, but yes."

Natsu frowned, wondering why Bora carelessly left his scarf. "Where do you work?"

Lucy hesitated, causing Natsu's eyes to widen. "You don't gotta tell me," he said, knowing he would never use the information for malicious intent, but he had heard some troubling stories from some of his girl friends, knowing there were bad people out there.

Lucy was just protecting her privacy, the woman letting out a relieved breath before saying, "He left it at his table. Never came back or called for it, so it sat in our lost and found box for three months."

Natsu jolted, mostly because he thought Bora skipped town a while ago. Knowing the bastard had come back, apparently flaunting his scarf only three months prior, well, it had his teeth clenching.

With a few steady breaths, Natsu managed to calm down before his temper could run wild. He had been somewhat of a hothead in his youth, but he had gained some control over himself.

He was still a work-in-progress, happy it wasn't him who ran into Bora. He wasn't sure what he would have done, going back and forth between punching him and throwing every curse word he knew at the asshole.

Luckily for him, his scarf found its way back to him in a more flattering way, Natsu freely admitting to himself it had looked good on Lucy for the few minutes he saw her wearing it.

"Uh," Natsu started, unsure what he could say. He didn't like the idea of it sitting in a box collecting dust for months, but considering it wasn't with Bora anymore, he could find some comfort. "How'd you get it?" he asked, keeping his voice even. He didn't want to offend her with an accusatory tone, thankful when she offered him a small smile.

"I called dibs on it." Her eyes lit up as she shifted in her seat to face him better, bringing her legs up on the couch with her feet dangling off the edge. "Our store makes us wait three months to see if anyone claims an item. If not, an employee can have it."

Natsu nodded, understanding that logic. It felt wrong to take someone else's possession immediately or throw it out, but they couldn't very well hold onto it forever. "Well, thanks... for giving it back."

Lucy looked away as she gently brushed some locks of hair over her shoulder. "I wouldn't feel right keeping it." She peeked up at him with her large brown eyes, the depth of them pulling at Natsu for a moment before his attention was drawn to her soft smile. "Besides, it looks better on you anyways."

Natsu's eyes widened for a second before relaxing against the back of the couch, surprised but not opposed to the compliment. "It looked pretty good on you too," he said, satisfied he hadn't stumbled over any of his words despite the dampness forming on his palms.

Like he said, he wasn't a flirt, but he wasn't as oblivious as people made him out to be.

A rosy hue surfaced on Lucy's cheeks as she fought her smile, Natsu happy when she lost that battle. She really had a great smile.

"I'm a little sad though," she admitted, Natsu's heart sinking for a moment before she let out a light laugh. "Your scarf matched my shoes perfectly."

He looked down at her feet, first finding the heels to look uncomfortable, but he focused on the colors instead. "Yeah, I guess they do." He almost suggested she could wear it if they ever saw each other again, as long as she promised to return it, but he held his tongue.

He had no idea if Lucy was in Juvia's inner circle, and while Gray was smitten with Juvia, he didn't know how long they would be seeing each other. He wasn't sure if he would see Lucy again after the party, but he figured there was only one way to find out.

"So," Natsu continued, his curiosity getting the better of him. "How do you know Juvia?"

That simple question led to an hour of the two talking, going back and forth about their friends before the conversation transitioned into their interests, some shared and some not.

By the time Gray returned from wherever the hell he ran off to, Natsu was inches away from Lucy, the two cackling as she struggled to finish her story about a time she misunderstood a customer at her current job - _which he was informed along the way she worked at the local bookshop._ Apparently she thought he asked for a book _menstruation_ when he actually said he was looking for something on _migration_.

"He was so confused!" Lucy laughed, gripping Natsu's arm as her eyes brightened. "I showed him the section and he— He said—"

Natsu snickered as she leaned in, barking out a laugh when she finally got out, "He said, 'what's this got to do with birds'?!"

A few tears beaded in the corners of Natsu's eyes, his side hurting from laughing so hard. "What made you think he said menstruation?"

He didn't see Gray stop behind the couch, or the odd look he gave them. He was too wrapped up in Lucy's face, finding her expressions breathtaking.

Literally, he had a hard time breathing after they decided to start telling each other embarrassing stories about themselves.

"I was tired!" Lucy sucked in a deep breath, her shoulders still shaking from laughter. "I _just_ finished finals, and I didn't get a chance to sleep before work." She released his arm, though Natsu would have preferred she kept it there. He liked her touch, feeling strangely cold for a moment until the light in her eyes stole his attention.

"Needless to say, I made a complete fool of myself."

Natsu chuckled, already recalling a story to tell her, but before he could get the words out he heard someone clearing their throat. The two looked up, Natsu raising a brow when he saw Gray. "Where'd you run off too?" he asked, but Gray redirected.

"Are you about ready to leave? Party's almost over."

"What?" Natsu asked, blinking before looking around. Sure enough, the place had cleared out with only a few stranglers behind, them included. "Damn, I didn't—"

He hadn't noticed time flying by, lost in his conversation with Lucy. He turned to her, seeing her push herself from the back of the couch before stretching her legs, readying herself to stand.

His stomach twisted at the thought of leaving, not ready to call it quits. However, he had work in the morning, and he doubted Juvia or her parents would be okay with having guests stay past their welcome.

"Hey," Natsu started, standing seconds after Lucy got on her feet. His head got light for a second, partially because he stood too quickly but mostly because he was dangerously close to Lucy, breathing her in as she gazed up at him.

"Y-yeah?" she asked, surprising Natsu with her nervous tone considering how freely they were just speaking.

"Uh," he started, now feeling self-conscious. "I um, was just wondering if..." Natsu cupped the back of his check, cursing his clammy skin. He wasn't sure if it was from his palm or neck, but either way, it was uncomfortable.

Steeling his nerves, Natsu asked, "Can I... see you again?"

It was at that point Gray walked away to give them privacy. Natsu held his breath for a second, wondering if he had overstepped any boundaries.

However, Lucy grinned, nodding as she pulled out her phone. "Yeah, um, do... do you want to give me your number?"

Natsu nearly gasped as he released his breath, both relieved and thrilled as he rattled off his digits. Moments later he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, Lucy saying, "There. Now you can text me... if you want."

Her nonchalant shrug wasn't fooling him, her face as red as Erza's hair, who Natsu had the fortune of not running into again after that horrid misunderstanding earlier.

"I will," he promised, already wondering what he should say first. Would it be best to start out with a safe 'hey', or jump right into it by telling her how much her smile affected him? He would eventually decide to tell her the embarrassing story he meant to say before Gray interrupted them, but for now he relished in the unknown.

He didn't need to worry too much about it, already feeling pretty comfortable talking to Lucy despite just meeting her today.

"Well, I should go find Juvia and say goodbye."

Natsu nodded, jerking a thumb behind him. "I gotta run too. Do you want me to wait for ya though? Walk ya out?"

Lucy shook her head, reaching out and placing a hand on his bicep. "That's okay. Thanks though."

He was always told growing up that his skin was hotter than most, but Lucy's touch burned in a good way, his body buzzing even after she removed her hand. "See you around, Natsu."

That was the first time he heard her say his name and he had to admit, it sounded good. "See ya, Lucy."

She smiled at him once more before moving around the couch, eyes lingering on him for a few more seconds before she went to search for her friend. Natsu let out a happy sigh, surprised how well the night turned out, especially considering he wasn't planning on coming.

As Natsu and Gray left the house to find his car, Natsu thought of the two things he gained that night.

His scarf, a family heirloom that had been passed onto him by his father who had already passed. It was something he would treasure forever, now more protective of it than ever before.

And Lucy, whether it was to remain just a friendship or more, he was thankful he met her tonight. She was certainly an interesting person. A little weird, but her kindness shined through over anything else.

Out of all the hands his scarf could have fallen into, he was glad it was Lucy's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy holidays! Whether you celebrate something this time of year or not, I hope you stay safe and have a good season! We're so close to finishing 2020. Hope 2021 has better things in store!
> 
> There will be one chapter after this, set like half a year down the road. It should be shorter than this, just a little way to see how they're doing and wrap up the story. Thank you so much for reading this short fic!
> 
> If you like short holiday fics, I would totally recommend ottermadness's story "The Workhouse Family". If I hadn't been so freaking busy, I would have consumed it in a day! Lovely story, check it out if you want something good to read!
> 
> I've gotten motion sick for a minute here or there a few times, but nothing as bad as Natsu. A coworker once told me she gets motion sickness unless she's the one driving, so I'm basing his sickness of her experience in this fic. Anyone here have motion sickness? If so, how do you deal with it?


	3. Found

**Chapter Three**

After working ten hours outside, Natsu was looking forward to resting. Unfortunately, it would be at least thirty minutes before he got home, more if he ran into traffic. His commute was hell, but damn was it worth it.

If he had gone with his original plan of moving closer to his job, not only would he have to leave the apartment he shared with his best friend, Gray, he likely wouldn't spend any time with his girlfriend, Lucy.

He had gotten to know her well after their first meeting. They had texted daily and met up at least once a week to hang out. After two months of that, Natsu asked if she wanted more, pleased when she agreed to be his girlfriend. Her brown eyes had been so bright and her soft smile did weird things to his heart.

He couldn't imagine spending another day without letting her know he liked her.

It had been around four months since they started dating, Natsu growing more comfortable with her by the day. She was easy to talk to and had a lot of interesting things to say. They could easily spend a whole night just engaging one another, though Natsu was more than pleased when things got a little heated.

They hadn't done much yet aside from kissing and light petting, but he savored every bit of it.

Natsu rested his head against the seat as he cranked up the volume, singing along to the music even if he didn't hit the right notes. Despite his sore muscles, Natsu was in a great mood. Friday had come and gone, and now he could enjoy the weekend before hitting the construction site Monday morning.

He had plans to meet Lucy for dinner tonight. While that would have been special on its own, he had a surprise up his sleeve. A notification on his phone let him know his package had arrived, and he was more than sure Lucy was going to love her gift.

Natsu grinned as the minutes melted away, bringing him closer to his date with Lucy.

* * *

"What about this one?" Lucy asked, holding up a sleeveless shirt in one hand and a short dress in the other. She wanted to look nice for her date with Natsu, though she had a feeling he wouldn't even notice her outfit.

If it hadn't been for her wearing his scarf when they met, she doubted he would have even given her a second glance. He hadn't struck her as the type to put value on appearances, but still, she liked getting dressed up, especially for fun occasions.

"Hmmm," Levy started, rubbing her chin. "What shoes are you going to wear?"

Lucy opened her mouth to answer, but Gajeel cut her off with a groan.

"I'm sure that pyro will like whatever you wear."

Lucy rolled her eyes, not bothering to take him seriously. She would put money on it that he wanted her to hurry up so he could go about his day. He wasn't the most patient man, so sticking around while Lucy and Levy decided what the former should wear on her date couldn't be fun for him.

Lucy would feel bad, but Gajeel could leave if he wanted to, but she knew he wasn't going anywhere. "He burned one fish. I wouldn't say that qualifies him as a pyro."

Though, they did have to leave his apartment until all the smoke cleared out.

"Whatever," Gajeel said, slumping against the couch. "That guy doesn't care whatcha wear."

"And how would you know?" Lucy asked, cocking her head. She wanted to keep up with her challenging tone, but her voice grew unsure as she whispered, "Has he told you that?"

"No, but the doofus has this stupid look in his eyes every time he looks at you."

Lucy's eyes widened, a little stunned as she asked, "He does?"

In what Lucy could only assume was an attempt to get the attention off her and tease Gajeel at the same time, Levy said, "Trust him, he knows."

As soon as a smile twitched at Gajeel's lips, Levy added, "It's the same look he has in his eyes when he looks at me."

Levy giggled when Gajeel started sputtering, the woman ignoring him as she stood to make her way to Lucy. "Come on. Let's go see what else you have."

Lucy chuckled as Gajeel struggled to form a proper sentence. She only hoped one day she could get the courage to tease Natsu like Levy did Gajeel, though she knew she was getting ahead of herself. They hadn't been going out long, but there was just something special she felt with Natsu, something she had never felt with anyone before.

Lucy allowed herself a soft sigh, easing up despite the nervous energy buzzing beneath her skin. She had only been dating Natsu for four months. Everything was so new and exciting, and based on his personality and the natural chemistry they had between them, she didn't see the fun ending anytime soon.

If anything, they were just getting started.

Maybe she was setting herself up for heartbreak by falling for Natsu so quickly, but he seemed worth the risk. He had a warmness to him that had her feeling safe and relaxed, able to enjoy herself every time they hung out.

And she knew in her heart that tonight would be no different.

* * *

Lucy glanced up when she heard the door to the café open, smiling when she saw Natsu step in. He was a few minutes late, but that was alright, especially when his eyes found hers, giving her that big toothy grin that made her heart flip.

She gave a small wave, her face warming as a blush set in. Maybe it was his stunning good looks or all the romantic books she had read, but every time they met up she found herself giddy with excitement.

Maybe it was how comfortable she felt with him. Who knew?

"Hey ya!" Natsu said, walking over to her table. As she greeted him back, he set a box down on the table, giving her a wink. "Wait 'til I get back before opening it."

Lucy's eyes widened as she glanced at the box, seeing it wrapped in black paper. Before she could ask, Natsu left to order some food, leaving her with a confused look as she inspected the box.

_'Is it an anniversary gift?'_

She didn't fancy the idea of celebrating every month they had been together. That could get tedious, but even if he had plans for that, he was a few days shy.

_'It's definitely not my birthday... Does he know that?'_

Surely Natsu remembered her birthday wasn't until next month. She wouldn't fault him for the mix up, but she was confident he remembered, recalling him saying her birthday was close to his.

 _'What's the occasion then?'_ Lucy asked, glancing up at Natsu to see he was now at the counter to place his order.

She reached out, picking up the box before bringing it closer to her. It didn't feel heavy but it did have some weight. The shape of the box suggested something like a book, maybe a notebook?

Lucy had mentioned her hobby of writing. Maybe Natsu gave her something to jot notes in? He had given her a nice pen a few months back. It hadn't been anything special. He just gave her a pen he found on the construction site. Despite it writing well, no one claimed it. He had thought she would like it.

She did, the pen tucked away in her purse. Even if it hadn't written like a dream - _which it certainly did_ , she would have held on to it.

 _'What could it be?'_ she thought, deciding to set the box where she found it as she waited for her boyfriend to return.

It took a few minutes, Natsu's tray loaded with muffins and cookies with a single hot chocolate. That was something Lucy had needed time wrapping her head around. It didn't matter what the temperature was like, Natsu was never affected. Even as it warmed up outside, He still wore his signature scarf.

The same scarf he was sporting now, loosely hanging around his neck and shoulders.

It really did suit him well, even if it looked odd to others seeing as it was June.

"Okay," Natsu started, taking a seat across from her before grabbing a cookie to munch on. "Open it."

"What's it for?" Lucy asked, slowly taking the box again. She shifted it a bit, not feeling anything moving inside.

"Just 'cause," he said, mouth full of cookie as he nodded towards the box, urging her to continue.

"Just 'cause," she whispered, eyes falling to the box before turning it over to find a seam. She slipped a finger in, paper tearing as she peeled it away. Her efforts revealed a wooden box.

Instead of letting more questions pile up, she put an end to her curiosity. Lucy removed the top of the box, furrowing her brows as she looked over the piece of material inside.

It took a few seconds, Lucy wondering why Natsu got her a piece of light brown fabric before realizing it was folded. "Is this a scarf?" she asked, guessing correctly as she went to unfold it, only to marvel when her fingers brushed against the material.

"Oh wow!"

Her jaw dropped as she ran her fingers over the scarf, astonished by the sheer softness. She had never felt anything so pleasing to the touch except—

Lucy's eyes darted to Natsu's scarf, her questioning gaze being all Natsu needed to explain.

"It's the same fur my scarf's made of. It's vicuña, kinda like llamas and alpacas but a bit different."

Instead of taking everything in, Lucy only focused on one word.

"Fur?" She looked down at the scarf in her hands, her stomach twisting at the thought of someone harming an animal to get its fur. Old fur was one thing since it was already made and lasted longer than synthetic materials, but the scarf in her hands looked brand new. It must have come from an animal recently, and that had her worried.

Natsu must have picked up on her distress, reaching over to set a hand on her wrist. She didn't pull away, instead looking up just as Natsu said, "They have super strict rules for getting vicuña fur, so they're never hurt or anything like that."

"Really?" Lucy asked, feeling the knot in her stomach easing.

He nodded. "Yeah. I Googled it again to make sure. They get the fur from one of them like once every two or so years. They do it as gently as possible. It's all regulated by the government and stuff, so there's no funny business."

Natsu grinned, leaning in as he said, "Try it on. See how it feels?"

Lucy hesitated, taking a moment to feel the scarf again before her uneasiness faded. She trusted Natsu. He was goofy and lacked proper table manners, but he had a kind heart. He had done his research, and that had her smiling.

She wrapped the scarf once around her neck, slowly pulling her golden locks out so the material could rest against her skin. She hummed, beyond pleased by the unexpected gift.

"This is amazing," she said, fingers lingering over the material before reaching out to seize Natsu's free hand.

The other was used to stuff a muffin in his mouth, barely remembering to take off the wrapper before it got inhaled. "Glad you like it," he mumbled between bites, earning a snort from Lucy.

Natsu swallowed before taking a gulp of his drink. "There's a card in there showing it's authentic. Also has some cleaning instructions."

"I'm guessing I can't throw this in the washer," Lucy said, earning a look of horror from her boyfriend. "Kidding," she said, watching as he sighed in relief.

"Glad you didn't put mine in the washer." Natsu grabbed the end of his scarf, causing Lucy to focus on the scale like design sewed in.

"Why does yours look textured and this one isn't?" It was solid light brown with a fringed end while his was white with black lines all over it.

"Mine was made custom. It's almost impossible to dye vicuña fur, but someone managed to do it. They added the stitching to it too. It's been in my family for generations, so I'm not sure why they wanted it to look like this."

Lucy's face softened. He had said his dad gave it to him, but she hadn't known it was a family heirloom. No wonder he was so relieved when he saw her with it. She couldn't imagine losing her necklace with an Aquarius symbol on it, a gift from her mother that had been passed down her family line.

"Thank you for this," Lucy said, reaching for the end of her scarf to mirror Natsu.

"No problem."

His nonchalant behavior led her to believe that was true. She wouldn't find out until later that night that it cost a pretty penny when she wanted to do some research on vicuñas. She would end up asking if he was sure he wanted to give her something so expensive, and he would assure her he was happy to do it.

His exact words would be, _"I just wanted to say thanks for taking care of my scarf and giving it back. I can make more money, but I can't make another scarf like mine."_

For now though, the two shared smiles until Natsu's stomach growled, clearly not sated with his meal so far.

"Damn it," Natsu mumbled as Lucy chuckled, squeezing his hand before pulling it back.

While Natsu ate another cookie to quiet his stomach, Lucy pulled out her phone. She stood, scooting her chair over towards Natsu's as he raised a curious brow.

Without saying a word, Lucy sat down, tilted her head towards his, and held her phone out. She saw in the front-facing camera Natsu realize what was happening, grinning wide as he slung an arm around her.

Lucy snapped a few pictures, her face slowly growing more red as Natsu's fingers brushed against her shoulder, right under her new scarf. His touch was simple but electrifying at the same time, Lucy muttering a thank you as she returned to her earlier seat.

She opened Instagram, getting the picture set up before posting it. Lucy looked over it once it loaded, grinning like a fool. Her caption was probably sappy, but she didn't care.

It was from the heart, and that was all that mattered.

**Got a scarf from the lost and found back in December. It was a great find, until I ran into the owner. I thought it was a loss when I had to give it back, but it turned into one of the biggest gains of my life.**

Natsu was tagged, though he didn't use his account as much as she did. However, he must have been notified, the man pulling out his phone as he clicked at the screen. After a moment, he smiled. His eyes were warm as he looked up at her, stealing her breath away. "I like your caption."

Her heart started racing as her eyes rounded, wondering if it was too much as she reread it in her head. They hadn't been dating long, but she felt strongly about him.

Her concerns were laid to rest when Natsu leaned over the table, nearly spilling his drink as he pressed a kiss to her lips. It was exactly what she needed to relax, everything in the world feeling right.

She didn't know what her future held, but she sincerely hoped Natsu was in it. And judging by the gentle yet eager kiss he gave, he hoped so too.

.

.

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! I finished this short story! I had fun writing this idea. Thank you everyone who took the time to stop by and read it! I appreciate you! Let me know what you thought! I've considered doing other short stories, but I wasn't sure how that'd go. Thanks again for reading! Have a great day/night! -mushi9
> 
> *If I ever win the lottery (which won't happen because you gotta actually play to win, lol) I'm buying a vicuña scarf and a dinosaur bone. Those are things I don't need but damn would it be cool to own. :P Although I did read something about how buying dinosaur bones can have a negative effect on science, so maybe not, but I don't have to worry about that because I won't be winning any lottery, haha.
> 
> Thanks again for reading! :D


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